This relates to electronic devices and, more particularly, to glass structures for electronic devices.
Electronic devices such as cellular telephones, handheld computers, and portable music players often include housings with glass members. For example, a device with a display may have a glass cover that serves as a protective layer. In some devices, a rear housing surface may be formed from a layer of glass.
To ensure satisfactory robustness, it is generally desirable to form device housing structures such as cover glass layers and housing surfaces from structures that are sufficiently strong to prevent damage during accidental impact events. For example, it is generally desirable to form portable devices that are subject to drop events from structures that are able to withstand the forces involved in a typical drop event without incurring excessive damage.
Glass strength and device aesthetics can sometimes be enhanced by using sufficiently thick glass layers. However, the size and weight of a device should not be excessive. If care is not taken, modifications that are made to ensure that a device has glass structures that are sufficiently strong, will make the device heavy and bulky.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved glass structures for electronic devices.